


Off Shift

by orphan_account



Category: Star Trek: The Next Generation
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Anxiety, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Exhaustion, Fever, Gen, Headaches & Migraines, Hurt/Comfort, Insecurities, Multi, One Big Happy Family, Overworking, Pre-Relationship, Pre-Slash, Sickfic, Technobabble, malfunctions
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-21
Updated: 2020-09-26
Packaged: 2021-03-08 00:08:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,385
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26576551
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Off shift, the Alpha shift transforms; from colleagues to family.This is their story.One shots regarding the Alpha shift on the USS Enterprise, NCC-1701-D.
Relationships: Alexander Rozhenko & Worf, Beverly Crusher & Geordi La Forge, Beverly Crusher & Jean-Luc Picard, Beverly Crusher & Wesley Crusher, Beverly Crusher/Jack Crusher (Past), Data & Geordi La Forge, Data & Jean-Luc Picard, Deanna Troi & Worf, Geordi La Forge & Jean-Luc Picard, Jean-Luc Picard & William Riker, K'Ehleyr/Worf (Past), Keiko O'Brien/Miles O'Brien, William Riker & Deanna Troi, William Riker/Deanna Troi (past)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 40





	1. Overworked

“Computer, run a level three diagnostic on the matter-antimatter injectors.”

 _“Running diagnostic.”_ A sharp trill. _“Diagnostic complete. Systems functional.”_

“Yeah, yeah. Just send me the data- and I mean _all_ the data this time, Computer- to the Engineering console.”

 _“Transferring data to file ‘Injector Upgrades, Trial H26.’ “_ Another sharp trill. _“Transfer complete.”_

“ _Thank_ you, Computer.” Geordi La Forge sighed heavily, scrubbing his hand against his growing stubble. His vision swam before his eyes, different wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum registering as chaos in the VISOR. Nausea slowly began to churn in his gut from the swirling colors, as outlines of objects barely stood straight. 

Giving in for a few moments, Geordi gently slipped the VISOR from his face, savoring the blank void. Still, he felt his pulse pound in his temples and a headache starting to descend over his thoughts. He growled in frustration, feeling for the console beside him with his left hand. With his right hand, he dug his nails into his palm, using the pain as a distraction. 

Just a bit longer.

… But maybe without his VISOR. “Computer,” he said, wincing at his strained voice. “Read out file ‘Injector Upgrades, Trial H26,’ all data tables.”

_“Reading file ‘Injector Upgrades, Trial H26,’ all data tables. Table one, ‘Matter Containment.’ Matter combustion averaging 4.2 percent, standard deviation of 0.6 percent. Field intensity at 98.6 percent. Field integrity at-”_

“Computer, pause reading.” Geordi frowned, feeling around the Engineering console with both hands. With the controls memorized, he slid his fingers across the screens almost effortlessly. “Computer, repeat Table one, column one, row one.”

_“Matter combustion: averaging at 4.2 percent with a standard deviation of 0.6 percent.”_

“ _Four_ point two percent?” he breathlessly scoffed. “No way. It was lower than that in the last modification. Computer, confirm.”

_“Confirmed. File ‘Injector Upgrades, Trial H25,’ table one, ‘Matter Containment,’ matter combustion averaging 2.7 percent, standard deviation of 0.4 percent.”_

“Come on! I didn’t even alter the containment field intensity!”   
_“False.”_

Geordi paused and hesitantly looked up into the void. “... What?”

 _“Confirmed. File ‘Injector Upgrades, Trial H25,’ table one, ‘Matter Containment,’ Field intensity at 94.1 percent.”_

A shocked and choked chuckle came from his mouth. “That… can’t be possible.” The ache in his head grew stronger. “... All I did was re-initialize the secondary antimatter containment field. There’s…” His thoughts fogged. “There’s no way that could have affected the combustion variability.”

“Unless the rerouted power relayed through the matter-antimatter bypass between the warp injectors.”

“Ah, right. How could I forget something so obvious.” He muttered under his breath, his hands resuming their motion. “Now, I just need to-”

“Geordi.”

The man in question stopped at the familiar voice. Even without his sight, Geordi heard Data near him, his friend’s positronic network giving a hum only Geordi’s trained ear could perceive. He gave a slight nod to acknowledge his presence. “Data.” He winced once again at his voice.“Hi. Didn’t hear you come in.”

“I spoke to you seconds ago, Geordi, regarding the matter-antimatter bypass.” (He could _hear_ Data tilting his head in confusion.)

“Ah.”

“Indeed.” Silence filled the air before a quiet step forward. “Geordi, why do you remain in Engineering during the Gamma shift? Has Ensign Hill not reported for duty?”

Geordi’s throat went dry. “Gamma shift?” he asked quietly.

“Yes. I understood that we were off shift since Alpha shift yesterday afternoon. It is now evening of the next day.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Struggling to find his VISOR- where had he put it down anyway?- he cleared his throat. “I… I guess I just forgot. Y’know, let time pass by with, uh, modifications.”

“Approximately 208 iterations of different modifications.”

It wasn’t a question.

Meekly, Geordi replied, “I guess so.”

“Geordi,” Data’s voice seemed to hold a light tone of disappointment.

“I know, I know.” He interrupted, waving his hand dismissively. “I know it’s a lot. But I can get it working. I’m almost there.”

Data didn’t speak for a short while, giving Geordi the opportunity to concentrate on feeling for his VISOR. His fingers just grasped the slim piece of technology when Data asked, “May I inquire about the goal of your projects?”

“Well, I was trying to see if I could get the excess energy generated by the warp and plasma injectors to run as a secondary generator. Y’know, like the other day, when we were in Red Alert, and almost had a system-wide failure due to lack of power since the emergency power was compromised with the… whatever technology those people had. The excess energy is unable to be drained, so it’s a good back up if our first… things fail.”

“I see. When have you last slept?”

“... Sometime? I dunno, Data.”

“You have been working on your projects for the past 28 hours. Before that, we were only Alpha shift for eight. I know from our last conversation on the Bridge that you had to assist Ensign Pierre with the night shift, which was seven point two five hours. That is approximately 43 hours and fifteen minutes. I have not observed you taking any sort of break between. If I may make the personal query once more, have you slept at all in the past 43 hours and fifteen minutes? Do you remember?”

Geordi’s hands fumbled with his VISOR, his voice struggling to answer his friend’s question. He reluctantly slipped the headpiece over his eyes, wincing at the assault of light, the pounding and nausea returning at full force throughout his body. Geordi took a few deep breaths to get used to the visual input before turning to the fuzzy black shape next to him and startling backwards into the console.

“Jeez, Data! Don’t creep up that close to me when I don’t… when I can’t see, okay?”

“My apologies.”

“No, no. It’s fine. It’s not your fault,” he pressed a hand against his hip, checking for bruising. “I just… I shouldn’t have had my VISOR off anyways.”

Outlines around Data’s eyebrows shifted downwards. “Has your VISOR given you much discomfort?”

“No, no, no. I’m fine, Data. Really.”

“... Are you, Geordi? You have not answered my previous question.”

Frustrated, Geordi quickly turned from his friend, walking to the other end of the console. “Honestly, Data! Look, I just need to finish going over these tables and I’ll-”

Geordi cut himself off as a powerful wave of nausea made him sway. He stopped his movement and haphazardly threw himself against the wall for stability.

“Geordi!”

Exhaustion gripped Geordi with as much power as the hands that clamped down on his shoulders, his headache- no, _migraine_ \- intensifying with each word that came from Data. “Commander Data to Doctor Crusher.”

_“Crusher here.”_

“I am sorry to interrupt the game, Doctor, but could you please come down to Engineering?” 

_“I’m on my way.”_ In a much softer tone, she said, _“Tell Geordi I’m coming. He probably overworked himself again.”_

“I agree with that conclusion, Doctor.”

Geordi felt his head grow heavy, conceding to rest it upon the wall. He basked in the feeling of cool metal, unaware of his body beginning to minutely tremble. His thoughts were all too jumbled now, very unlike how he felt earlier. Beneath his VISOR, he slowly closed his eyes as his migraine pounded on, seeming to now sear through his skull, fraying every nerve in his body.

“Geordi,” Data’s voice, significantly lower in volume, appeared right beside his ear, but his words just seemed so far away. Geordi struggled to comprehend as his friend continued, “Doctor Crusher will soon be arriving. As of currently, would you like to sit down?”

All he could do was quietly hum.

He felt a broad chest come behind his back, the hands on his shoulder pulling him closer towards it. He trusted Data, letting himself lean into the android as his legs grew weaker. He detachedly felt them both sinking to the floor, Data rearranging Geordi to be between him and the wall, half in his lap. 

(Were other people around them?

Geordi was too tired, too much in pain, to even care.)

His head lolled on Data’s shoulder, his forehead coming to rest against his friend’s neck. Still, light spilled from the outside, registering in his VISOR and causing Geordi to let out a small whine. “Wh… what’s happ’nin’?” he managed to slur out.

“You have overexerted your body.” Data replied simply. He shifted slightly, the movement causing more lights to assault Geordi. Another whine made Data pause. After a moment, he asked, “May I remove your VISOR? I believe that it will remove a fraction of your discomfort.”

“... Sure…”

Cool hands touched his temples, releasing the metal attached to his face. Suddenly, the world went blissfully blank, and Geordi leaned more heavily against Data in slight relaxation. The pounding in his head was still present, but seemed awfully more muted without sharply colored lights attacking him. His breathing became deeper, his mind shifting from the plane of pain to the edge of unconsciousness, when another pair of hands flew over his upper body. “... Bev’rly?”

“Hi, Geordi.” Her quiet, dulcet voice soothed him. “I need you to stay awake for a little while longer, ‘kay? You’re dehydrated, and I can bet that you are at least a bit hungry.”

“... Tir’d.”

“I know, I know. But we need to get some fluids and food into you first,” She chuckled lightly, her hands running quickly over his head. “This is why you must stop overworking yourself.”

“... S’rry.”

“Oh, Geordi. It’s okay. We can talk about your habits later, okay?” The quiet rustle of her bag. “Since I know you so well, I brought your migraine hypo. I’m going to give you it, but then you have to try and stay awake until we reach your quarters. Promise?”

“Prom’se…”

“Alright. Data?”

“I will assist Geordi to his quarters as well.”

“Perfect.” He felt a pinprick on the side of his neck as the hiss of a hypospray filled the air. Geordi’s eyes fluttered as relief spread through his body once again, the thunder in his head lessening.

Suddenly, he was off of his knees and on his feet, dangerously tilting. Almost fully aware, Geordi clung to Data’s shoulders as Beverly took a position on his other side. “Woah.”

“I gotcha, don’t worry.”

He waited for his third round of nausea to pass as he regained his balance, clutching Data and Beverly’s uniform like a lifeline. Knuckles becoming a bit pale, he let out a shaky breath. “S’rry.”

“It’s okay, Geordi. We all do this sometimes. We just need a little reminder to take care of ourselves as well. I think from now on, I’m ordering you to a break every few hours unless it’s a real emergency.”

Geordi let out a breathy laugh. “Yeah?”

“Yeah. And I’m dead serious too.”

“I agree,” Data interjected. “I do not think it would be wise to not follow the advice Doctor Crusher has given you.”

“... Alright.” Geordi sagged a little more. “Breaks from… work.” Though he couldn’t see, he turned his head to Beverly, then Data. With as much emotion he could muster, overwhelmed by it all, he whispered, “Thank you.”

Beverly’s hand appeared on his back, rubbing circles. “What’s family for?” Geordi could imagine the soft smile on her face.

Family. 

He felt his own sappy smile emerge on his face. “Everything.”

“You got that right. Now, no more burning yourself at both ends; we’re here to help you, Geordi. Come to us.”

“I will... I prom’se.”

"You better make do, mister. Don't make me set a bedtime for you."

Geordi chuckled, turning his head blindly towards Beverly, mouth lifting into a smirk. "Yes, _mom_."


	2. Malfunction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Data finds a new malfunction in his systems, which introduces a unprecedented concept to Data’s humanity.

Data believed one person could not have a “clouded mind.” Gaining evaporation and collections of matter categorized as dust inside their skull was impossible, in the literal sense. The metaphor described the incomprehension of the thoughts of the person to themselves. Data, technically speaking, did not have “thought”- only subroutines which generated much of his cognitive and motor functions. Hence his own conclusion, as he as well retained no mechanical part that would generate evaporation in his cranial attachments, that he could neither have a “clouded mind.”

However, at the current moment, the description of his... mind seemed improbably accurate.

Data found himself unable to focus on a single task, though he had reconfirmed that his processing speeds had not lowered since his last self diagnostic. He sat in his quarters, before his desk and PADD, simply staring, trying to force his processors to calculate a model of a warp field around the Enterprise, given that the flow of the antimatter-matter...injectors fluctuated at a constant rate of two... 

... at a random rate. 

Randomly fluctuating... 

Randomly fluctuating... model. With the Enterprise in... 

...  Impulse power. Warp drive. A warp drive randomly fluctuating in intensity.

... Why did he want such? Was he not originally supposed to create a model of the Enterprise?

_ [Time Stamp recall]  
~~ Unable to retrieve data. ~~ _

_ [File A338-120BL-T2...]  
 ~~Invalid command.~~ _

_ [Access File A338-120BL-T2]  
Accessing File A338-120BL-T2, “Chief EngineerLa Forge’s Ongoing Projects. _

Data scanned over the tables that covered his vision. (If it were even possible for him,) the words before him blurred, rendering himself unable to competently go through the list of projects. 

_ [Time Stamp recall]  
~~ Unable to retrieve data. ~~ _

”Data to Geordi.”

”La Forge here. I’m a little tied up now, Data, so you better shoot.”

Data blinked slowly. “... Shoot?” He repeated, aware of the confusion in his voice.

”Metaphor, Data. Tell me what you need to.”

“Ah.” 

”... Data? You still there?”

”Yes. Apologies.” Data quickly referenced his PADD terminal. “Had you asked me earlier for assistance on one of your projects?”

”Um, not on any of my recent ones. Why?”

“It would seem my recall is not functioning properly. I cannot seem to access any real time or short-term information.”

”Wait, really? You can’t remember stuff, like, at all, from the past few hours.”

“Indeed. I have forgotten what I have been doing...”

Geordi hesitated over their communication line.  ”.. Data, that sounds kinda serious. I think I last saw you going through the new warp core specs, building off of my previous experiments with the antimatter-matter injectors. Do you remember that?”

_ [Mass recall]  
~~ Unable to retrieve data .   
Why? ~~ _

_ Warning: vocal array unable to function. _

_ [Run diagnostic on vocal array] _

“Data?”

_~~ Diagnostic inconclusive. ~~ _

_ [Manual override vocal array] _

“I-“ Data clicked his mouth shut as a violent onslaught of static came from him. Cautiously, speaking slowly and clipped, he said, “...I do... not kn-know.” 

“Well, I think I’m coming over to your quarters soon, buddy.”  Sounds of movement distracted- distracted?- Data momentarily.  “... need to check you out. Don’t want you dying.”

“Thank you, Geordi.” He paused, staring blankly at his PADD. “Geordi?”

“Yeah, Data?”

“Had you asked me earlier for assistance on one of your projects?”

“... You already asked me that, Data.”

~~ Had he? ~~

“Ah. Apologies. It would seem like my recall function-“

“Okay, Data, you told me. I’m heading over to your quarters right now to see what’s wrong with your positronic net. Remember that I’m coming, alright?”

“Affirmative.”

“Alright. Hang tight, Data.”

“Hang tight-“ the chirp of his communicator, signaling the end of the correspondence, cut through his confusion. “... a metaphor.”

_ [Time Stamp recall]  
~~ Unable to retrieve data. ~~ _

_ [Mass recall]  
~~ Unable to retrieve data .  ~~ _

_ Warning: vocal array unable to function. _

_~~ What is happening? ~~ _

_ [Manual override vocal array] _

_~~ Override failed. ~~ _

~~ No. ~~

Jaw locking into a closed position, Data struggled to emit sounds beside pure static generated by his overworked core processors.

~~ No, please. ~~

~~ Someone. ~~

~~ Help. ~~

~~ Broken. ~~

All attempts to verbalize came to a halt. Data lightly sucked in a breath-  breathe he did not need to breathe \- and gasped-  no no cannot did not need-

_ [Time Stamp recall]  
~~ Unable to retrieve data. ~~ _

_ [Mass recall]  
~~ Unable to retrieve data .  ~~ _

_ Warning: vocal array unable to function. _

~~ Static cannot cloud my mind. ~~

~~... but I do not have a mind. ~~

Flawed.

Fallible.

Replaceable.

MACHINE

“Data?”

And then the static broke from his mouth, falling and falling and falling away from his own control, hissing, shrieking, crying into the oblivion which once was the world he knew as his sight failed him like he did his creator and his ears never picked up the rushing footsteps towards him because all he could focus on was how human he was  not and it seemed to physically hurt him, though he cannot experience pain but he knew it hurt because suddenly he was shaking and gasping even though he did not need to snd arms were around him, trapping him, and all he knew was that he had to get  out -

Then he knew of nothing.

He was reactivated abruptly on the floor of his quarters. Eyes snapping open, he quickly sat up, frightening the four other figures that surrounded him on both sides.

“Woah, Data!” Geordi, to his right, reached out and took hold of his shoulder, pulling the android closer to him. “Slow down a bit.”

Data observed how Doctor Crusher, Counselor Troi, and Commander Riker stared at him with growing concern. “What was the malfunction?”

Geordi awkwardly cleared his throat.

Deanna spoke up. “That’s the thing, Data. Geordi said that he didn’t find a malfunction.” Her voice grew softer. “I have reason to believe that your malfunction was self- induced.”

... Self-induced?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hopefully, this will be a concept that will be advanced upon in later one-shots.


	3. Sick

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riker relives a crisis like no other.

_ … Hot. _

Riker sluggishly brought a hand to his face, wiping off his sweat as he took in his splayed position on the… carpeted… floor? How did he get on the floor? He…

He could’ve swore that he was just on the Bridge. They… The Enterprise was orbiting… something, and then the Captain shouted something, and then the lights turned red and then…

His eyes shot open, and the world swam before his eyes: a light beige ceiling swirling with bright fluorescent strips of horrifyingly sharp light, green blobs searing the undersides of his eyelids. He blinked slowly, taking in the sickening splash of colors that assaulted him, and breathed carefully through his mouth.

Okay. Okay.

He cautiously shifted to his right, bringing his hand down to the open air. Nothing. No one. 

_ … That’s… No, there has to be someone… This is the- _

_ The Bridge. _

_ “Number One, report!” _

Riker turned himself over, lifting himself gingerly off of the ground. His vision spotted, causing him to lean heavily on his shaky arms. “Cap...” his voice died in his throat, the heat drying his mouth. “Cap...”   
_ “Will, report immediately!” _

He swallowed. “... ‘m here.” A cough. “I’m good. Capt’n.”

The feeling of a hand on his shoulder, fingers lightly touching his forehead, distracted him momentarily.  _ “Will,”  _ a soft and accented voice said, trembling ever so slightly.  _ “Are you okay?” _

“Yeah, yeah. Jus’ a few bumps.” He groaned at the cool touch on his cheek. “Really, Deanna.”

“...es gotten hotter.” A voice floated, garbled, from the other side of him. However, when Riker turned to look-

_ “Status, Mister Worf!” _

_ “Decks Ten through Fourteen have reported heavy casualties; Deck Nine and Fifteen have hull breaches; Hull integrity dropping below 60 percent-” _

_ “Captain,”  _ Data’s calm voice added to the chaos.  _ “We are losing antimatter containment. There will be a warp core breach in approximately one minute and twenty two seconds.” _

_ “Mister La Forge! Can you stabilize-” _

A shocking crash resounded over the comm system.  _ “I’ll try, Captain! I don’t have direct access, but I think I can unlock the ejector clamps-” _

“No!” Riker stumbled to his feet, almost pushing Deanna out of his way. He clumsily clambered down the Bridge (disoriented by the lack of momentum he usually achieved on the downhill) and approached the conn, where Captain Picard sat, tensely staring at him. Riker took a shuddering breath, attempting to compose himself as he looked at the main viewer. “Captain, that planet down there,” he pointed vaguely in the direction of the screen, bringing his other hand to his forehead to heed off an oncoming headache. “We’re too close in orbit to safely eject the warp core. The people in the northern continent would never survive.”

_ “They attacked us,”  _ Worf retaliated.  _ “It would be their own fault that we have decided to save ourselves-” _

Captain Picard stood, briskly making his way over to Data and Ensign Laren.  _ “Ensign, get us away from the planet. Mister Data, scan continuously for any ion trail; the ship may be cloaked. Mister La Forge, try to contain the warp core breach, but be prepared to eject on my signal.” _

_ “Aye, sir!” _

Will watched the viewscreen as Ensign Laren piloted away from the civilizations below, watching the strikingly blue planet recede slowly. (With that observation, he concluded that the impulse thrusters must’ve been damaged.) 

_ “Captain, I am detecting an ion trail off the port bow-” _

Suddenly, Riker was thrown across the room as a volley of photon torpedoes shook the Enterprise. Landing roughly, hitting his head on impact, Riker groaned at the greater onslaught of sounds that reached his ears: the high-pitched ringing, the shrieking of the Red Alert alarm, the rumbling of explosions and photon impacts against the hull, but most of all the voices. 

The voices hurt amidst the pounding in his head. 

“-is fever is going u-”

_ “Warning: Warp Core breach in fifty six seconds.” _

_ “Mister La Forge!” _

_ “I’m trying, Captain, I just need-” _

“-o bring him to Medbay-”

_ “We don’t have time, Mister La Forge!” _

_ “Captain, I have predicted the ion trail will reappear at heading 127-mark-168.” _

_ “Arming photons-” _

“-me on, help me with-”

_ “- ready to launch.” _

_ “Warning: Warp Core breach in fifty seconds.” _

_ “Ensign!” _

_ “The impulse engines are damaged, I can’t go faster than this!” _

_ “Captain, impact in-” _

_ “Fire, Mister Worf!” _

Riker watched the impact detachedly, not even attempting to get himself off of the floor as the world shook around him. Flares of red, dancing fire sparked within the Bridge, smoke pouring from almost every console. 

_ “The enemy ship has retained no damage!” _

And suddenly hands were on him, tugging at his dirtied, red sleeves, forcing him to stand up, and pulling him to side and away from the Bridge, into the turbolift. Two, three sets of hands… one small and delicate while the other two were worn and calloused with time. Three sets of hands that… that…

Belonged to no bodies that he could see. 

Riker struggled against the supernatural forces taking him. “Stop!” he shouted, precipitation building on his face at his slight movements. “Let go of me!”

“Will!” The garbled voice returned at the same moment a hand pulled hard against his shoulder. “Will, your fever spiked again, and you are putting yourself in danger, being alone. I’m putting you in the Medbay so I can monitor you and-”

“No!” He shrugged away from the person’s hold, arms flailing, reaching out towards the Bridge. “I’m staying on the Bridge. The Warp Core is gonna blow in less than thirty seconds.”

“Will, there-”

“Beverly, there’s no time! I need to stay on the Bridge, I need to help the Captain, I need-”

“Will, look-” Riker shoved the restricting arms away with all the force he could muster, eyes still locked on the viewscreen as he heard the impact of a body against the wall behind him. “Captain!” He shouted over the mass of disarray. “We have to eject the Warp Core  _ now _ , in the other ship’s trajectory!”

_“Sir,”_ Data protested. _“We will not have enough time to lock accurately onto the ship. I do not have the ion trail.”_

Ensign Laren ducked as her console released sparks.  _ “Captain, I can’t get more distance between us and the planet!”  _ Her nimble fingers danced across the screen, only resulting in several non-compliant beeps.  _ “Impulse engines and the thrusters are not responding!” _

_ “Warning: Warp Core breach in fifteen seconds.” _

_ “I’m losing containment down here!” _

_ “Hull integrity dropping to 27 percent, all decks are damaged!” _

Captain Picard stared solemnly at Riker as the ship swayed and shifted violently from damages. The red blaring lights shaded his face, a halo of resignation emerging around his bald head. They locked eyes for only a moment- no, less than that- when Riker saw his choice in his dark, pitch black eyes- eyes that he saw light up in fascination at every new culture, sparkle with excitement during every game and adventure…

Eyes that now became the bane of Will’s existence at that moment. “Captain-”

Picard turned away, the red of his shirt bleeding into Riker’s mind as he pressed down on his communicator.  _ “Mister La Forge, eject the Warp Core, matching any heading  _ away  _ from the planet!” _

_ “Aye, sir!” _

_ “Warning: Warp Core breach in ten seconds, nine seconds, eight seconds-” _

_ “Now, Mister La Forge!” _

_ “I’m trying!” _

_ “Captain, a ship is decloaking-” _

_ “I got it!” _

“No!”

“Will!” Two hands returned to his shoulders- when did they leave?- forcibly shaking him, almost manhandling him to the ground. “William! Can you hear me?”

Only one person in the entire universe ever dared to call him William. “... Captain?”

And suddenly, the illusion fell away. Walls deconstructed around him, replaced by the family setting of his quarters. The red flashing lights fell away to the bright fluorescent lights he first remembered upon opening his eyes, and all noise fell to silence, besides his own heaving breaths as he took in the people around him: Captain Picard kneeled before him, his two arms keeping steady against Riker’s chest, Deanna stood near Riker’s door, mouth open in shock, and Doctor Crusher…

He exhaled shakily. “Beverly.”

The woman in question sat slumped against the wall across from him, forehead slightly bleeding from a small cut. Nevertheless, she managed a weary smile. “There you are.”

“Are...” He couldn’t force the words out. 

“I’m fine. A minor contusion.”

After a few moments, Picard loosened his hold and drew a few centimeters back. “You scared us all, Number One.” He said. “Doctor Crusher has told me that your fever has been spiking as of recently. And,” he swallowed. “Given your… flashback, I can tell that your mind is still caught in our last emergency. ”

Riker’s mind drifted back to the aftermath: a lovely blue planet twisted by blotches of red, the charged fields in the atmosphere reacting with the photon fire from the enemy ship and their warp core.

They couldn’t even check for survivors.

A single, cruel voice at the back of his mind whispered only one word.

_ Murderer. _


End file.
